Motor-driven sewing machine



Feb. 13, 1923. 1,444,917

M. HEMLEB MOTOR DRIVEN SEWING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1920 2 sheetswheet i Feb. 13, 1923.

M. HEMLEB MOTOR DRIVEN SEWiNG MACHINE Pi lad May 12, 1920- 2 sheets-sheen F 1 1 K W W INVENTOR fim' 7M4 WITNESSES:

A ORNEY "Patented Feb.- 13, I923.

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN HEMLEB, OF ELIZABETH, JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO THE SINGER MANIL- MNFACTURING COMPANY JERSEY.

Application filed Kay 12 i ad wlwmitmyconceni:

Be it known that 1.. Mann): Hab t-En, a citizen of the United States, res1d1 at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and tate 5 of New Jersey, have inv \ted certain new and useful Improvex'nentsi Motor-Driven Sewing Machines, of which th followin a specification, reference being had'therein.

JOCt toprovide a, knee-shift control for'mo' to theiaecompanyi drawings. 1

This .inventio n re tes tolcontrollers for motor-driven sewing machines in eneral, and more particularly .to motor-controllers for sewing machines of the so called part able type.

a In the trade, a 'sewin 'machine of the portable type is distinguis ed from machines of the cabinetior t-readle-stand type in that the sewing head is adapted to" received within a hand-cerryingcase a. Qmey be readily transportedfroniplace .place and .set u for use upon an ordinary'talglef deslg or otiienflat topped supporteywmmoniy-us'ed.

in houseliold establishm v I Heretofore, motor-dri'iren. sewing machines outfits of the portable type have commonly included a 'loot-p'erated controller which was connected in the motor-circuit by means of a length of conductor-cord sufficient to permit the controller to be stationed upon the floor wi hin convenient reach of the operators foot. To'enable the foot-controller to withstand usage upon the floor, it was made comparatively heavy. and bulky. WVhentransporting a machine with this equipment from one place to another, the controller, together with the OOIIIIBCCIH? cord, must be made up intga separate am rather bulky package which rendezg the coinplete outfit troublesome and hea-v around. Furthermore, the contro lerTs'T:'a ily overturned or shifted out of place by nccidental contact of the'opera-tors foot there'- with. i The present invention has for oneof its chief objects to provide a power lriven sewing machine which may bereadily transported from place to place in the usual hand carrying case and set up for use on an ordinary table, and which embodies a controller so constructed and arranged that it need not be placed upon the floor and may be operated otherwise than bv the hands or arms of the operator which should be free to handle the \VOl'k- Another object of the invention isto pro- OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, CORPORATION OF NEW MOTOR-DRIVEN SEWING ntsenmn.

, iezo. Serial n 330,128.

-tor-drivensewing machines ii 1 general which ily be taken down or'gotten out when use thereof is not desired. i To theattainmentoftheobjects in view, a motor-controller of'any suitabletype may, be mounted within the base of a portable carrying case for the machine and operated by a novel lcriee-shift mechanism supported preferably by the portable cariyin rcase' inde endently of the table upon which the ma- ..chine is stationed. The knee-shift may be in the form o'f-a'lever-arm which hangs downwardly from'the base of the machine and is quickly detachable'from operative position; suitable clips being preferably provided within the carrying case to receive the kneeshift lever when the machine is not in use.

A feature o'f'the invention is the quickly detachable 'kneeshift lever which hangs from the machine and niay-bercadily removed from operative position when not in use.

The invention further comprises certain novel details of construction hereinafter de' scribed and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanyinp drawings, Fig. l is a front side elevation of the machine as sta iioned for use upon an ordiimry table. Fig.

a longitudinal vertical section through the coverducn'ili'er ofthc hand carrying case. Fig. 3 is a transx' erse vertical section through the 'base member-of the carrying case, shoiving the motor coutrollcr and operating means therefor. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the controller as'mounted within thebase and of the way thecontrolle'r-opcrating knco- Fig; 5 is'a detail perspective view of the i fittings. brackets etc. to the tablc.

die 5. The sewing head is conveniently driven by means of an electric or other suitable motor 6 which is mounted u )on the bracket? screwed to the standart 2 and is connected to the usual hand-wheel 8 by means of the driving belt 9.

In accordance with the present-improveinent, in its preferred embodiment, the sewing head A may be stationed for use upon an ordinary table ll and is ireferahly seated upon the base-scction Ill oi a hand-carrying case which also includes the cover-section 11 adapted to enclose the sewing head A when the machineis not. in use. The basesection 10' is preferably made in rectangular form with front and rear side-wall members 12 and end-wall members 13 and is also preferably provided with a partition 14 dividing it into con'ipartments l5 and 16. the former to receive the lKxly-portio'n of the sewing head and the latter to receive the motor-controller to he described.

The motor-controller preferably comprises a metallic casing 17 adapted to be secured by screws lit to the bottom wall 19 of the compartment 16." Within the casing 17 is mounted the usual variable resistance unit 20 including the pivoted eontactor 21 and the series of contact points 22 over which the contactor 21 plaiysto start, stop and control the speed of tie motor 6 in a manner wcll nnderstoml. In the prcscnt instance, the resistance unit 20 is connected in series with the motor 6 to the source of electrical energy. Any of the various other well known motor-controlling devices and wiring schciiics may. of course, be nscd in lieu of that shown and described.

The pivoted contactor-arm 21 is formed in its upper side with a longitudinal slot 23 which is catered by the dc wnding pin 24 carried by a lever-arm 25 which is pivoted upon the pin 26 lived in an apcrtnrcd huh 27 on the casing IT. The downturncd opposite cm! 25 of the lcvcr-arm 25 is received within a recess in an cud wall of the casing IT which affords opposed stops 2R limiting the movement of the lever 25 Ill opposite dircctions. 'lhc lcvcr-arm 25 is further formed with a downturm'd car 29 carrying a latcral positioning pin 30 which enters one end of a compression spring ill the oppositicud of which embraces a second )ositioniug pin :52 on the adjacent side wa l of thc casing IT. 'lhis spring serves to yieldingly hold the controller arm .31 in the otl'" position.

An important feature of thc prcscnt 1mprovemcntis the knee-shift control of a portable power-driven sewing machine adapted for uscl upon.an ordinary table without the licccssitv of securing additional In the prcscnt embodiment of the invention. the controller casing IT supports a bearing lug 33 in which is journaled a horizontal rockshaft ll l extending within the casin and carrying a crank-arm 35 which exten upwardly and terminates within a clearance aperture 36 in the lever-arm 25. A collar 37 on the shaft 34 cooperates with the crankarm :15 to confine the shaft against endwise movement. The shaft 34 is in line with and projects into a cylindrical aperture 38 in the front side wall 12 of the base section 10; the aperture 38 being large enough to ad mit the aperture-d cylindrical hub 33 of the knee-shift arm A bayonet-joint connection is provided between the knee-shift 40 and the shaft 34 in order that the knee-shift may be quickly placed in or removed from operative position. This connection comprises the TL-shaped slot -11 in the Wall of the hub 39 and lateral pin 42 upon the shaft 34. The knees-hilt arm is thus supported at its upper end at a point above the level of the top of. the table ll and extends downwardly in overhanging relation with the edge of the table to a position within convenient reach of the operator's knee.

\Vhcn the machine is not in use the kneeshift 40 may be placcd within the cover 11 and held by means of suitable clips 43. A poitable machine, with thepresent equipment. is entirely self-contained and comparutively light in weight and may be quickl and conveniently set up for operation; boti hands of the operator being entinel y free for manipulation of the work.

The feature of detachability of the kneeshift control lever is believed to be novel in connection with sewing machines generallv.

llaving thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I cla' im herein is l. A portable motor-driven sewing ma chino'having. in combination, a' portable base adapted in use to rest upon an ordinary table. sewing; mechanism carried bysaid base. a driving motorta motor-controller, and a controller operating armmm'mted upon saidhase and connected to said con trollcr. the free end of the arm terminating bclow said level of the bottom of said base and within reach of the operators knee.

2. portable motoralriven sewing machine havin in combination, a portable base adapter in use to rest upon an ordinary tablc,.sewin; mechanism carried by said base. a driving motor, a motor-controllcr. and a controller opcratingjirm connected to said controller and supported at a point above the level of thc hottom of said base... the free end of said arln terminating below said lcvcl and within reach of the operator's knee.

2!. A, portahlc motor-driven sewing I118- chinc/roniprisin". in combination, a sewing licad. a portnblc basitherefor adapted in use to rest upon an ordinary table, a driving 2 use to motor, a motor-controller, and a controller operating knee-shift supported by said base and "adapted to overhang the front edge of the tableon which the machine is stationed foruse.

4. A portable motor-driven sewing machine comprising, in' combination, a. sewing head, a l'ta.ble base therefor adapted in motor, a motor-controller, and a controller operating knee-shift .detachabl connected to said controller and supported y said base, said knee-shift being adapted to overhang T the front edgeof the table on which the machine is stationed for use.

5. A portable motor-driven sewing machine comprising, in combination, a sewing head, a portable base therefor adapted in use torest upon an'ordinary table, a driving motor, a motor-controller, a controller operating knee-shiftdever, and a bayonet joint connection between said controller and kneeshift lever dis osed above the level of the bottom of sai base and permitting read removal of the latter from operative position. I 6. A motor drivenu sewing machine having, in combination, a sewing' head including 'a cloth plate, a driving motor, a hollow portable base including side and end walls said base receiving within its cavity the parts of the sewing head below the clothplate and being adapted to be stationed upon an ordinary table, a motor-controller mounted within said base, and a knee-shift lever and connections extending through the front side wall of said base and operatively connected to said controller, said kneeshift including a downward] extending arm adapted to overhang the ront edge of the table.

7. A motor-driven sewing machine having, in combination, a sewing head, a driving motor, a portable base sup orting said sewing head and ads. ted to )e stationed upon an ordinary tab e, a motor-controller stationed withinsaid base, and a knee -shift controller lever including a downwardly extending horizontally ried by said base am adapted to overhang the front edge of the table and extend within reach of the operators knee.

9. portable sewing machine having, in combination. a hollow portable base having a front wall, a sewing head seated upon said base. a driving motor, and a'motor-eontroller including a movable eontactor, a horizontal rock shaft for operating said oontarlor. and a knee-shift lever detachably connected to said shaft through an aperture in 'the front wall of said base.

9. A portable motor-driven sewing inarhine having. in combination. a substantially fiat rectangular hollow base adapted tobe used upon an ordinary table and constructed with side and cod walls, the front side wall upon an ordinary table, a driving pivoted levenarm car-.-

tion in said aparture and connection with said shaft.

10. A portable motor-driven sewing machine having. in combination. a substan.

tially flat rectangular hollow base adapted in be used upon an ordinary table and (Oilstructed with side and end walls. the front side wall being provided with an aperture. a sewing head seated upon said base, a driving motor, a motor-controller mounted within said base and including an operating shaft in line with said aperture. a kneeshift lever arm having a hub adapted for insertion in said aperture, and a bayonetjoint coimection between said hub and shaft.

11. A portable motor-driven sewin; nun chine ada ted to be used on an ordinary table and aving, in combination, a portable base, a sewing head seated upon said base, a drivin -motor, a motor-controller, and a knee-sh-i t-lever detachably carried by said base and connected to said rontroller.

12. A portable motor-driven sewing machine adapted to be used on an ordinnrv table and having, in combinatioina scwinghcad. driving motor, a motor-controller and oonnections including an operating shaft, disposed above the bottom of said base, and a knee-shift lever detachably supported by said shaft. v

13. A portable motor-driven sewing ma chine adapted to be used on an ordinn ry table and having, in combination i sewing head, a driving motor, a motor-rontroller and connections including an operating shaft, a knee-shift lever, and a bayonet-joint FUN motion-between said knee-shift lever and 'said shaft.

:14..-A-'motor-driven sewing machine having, in combination, a sewing head, a support havingan apertured front wall. adriv- Jn'g motor, -& motor-controller and connections including an operating shaft in line with the aperture in said front wall, and a knee-shiftlever: detachably connei-ted with said shaft. 4

l5. A .portable motor-driven sewing machine having; recombination, a sewing-head inclndihgh cloth-plate; a. :lrollow supportchine having in combination, a substantially fiat hollow base adapted to be used upon an ordinary table and'constructed with an a ertured front wall, asewing head seate upon said base, a driving motor, a motor-controller, and eonnections. including a knee-shift lever for operating said controller, said connections Passing through an aperture in the front wall of said base and also including a rock-shaft in line with said aperture, a

17. A portable motor-driven sew' m3 chine adapted to be used on an or inary table and including a portable supporting base, a driving motor, a motor-controller, and controller operating means including a knee-shift lever horizontally pi'voted at a level above the bottom of said base and carried by the latter, said lever being adapted to overhang the front edge of the table upon which the machine is stationed for use and to extend downwardly to a point within reach of the operators knee.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

v MARTIN HEMLEB. 

